Pirates

[Pacific Jewel]

I really understand the frustration this type of situation evokes. But the fact is...there are 15 international naval ships in the vacinity monitoring and coming to the aid of sailors/ships. Some experts say Somali pirates have netted more than 100 million dollars in a year. Better than picking root plants. In a dirt poor country, why wouldn't they choose piracy over....being poor??? I am NOT condoning it. I just want to stand up and go postal too. But to expect the world should stop and respond with "Its all about me the cruiser" is too naive. And also, to not acknowledge that help is within the region is also a travesty.

But I do feel you pain...

[sv-Mystique]

Why not??

[Pacific Jewel]

Why not what?

[Boracay]

Those pirates were operating about 900 nm from their base.

They have previously held boats for ransom. How long before they work out that they can go a lot further than 900 nm if they set their minds to it?

[Don Lucas]

Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but last I looked pirate attacks on 40' sailboats were pretty rare. If I were to get hijacked and held for ransom I guess I'm going to die as I don't really have anything. I figure the pirates know that for the most we just aren't worth anything for the trouble. But then we know the bad guys don't think things though that much.

[Ex-Calif]

I don't mean to pick on you but isn't there some irony to your screen name and the fact you don't condone piracy?

Is it possible in a few hundred years our great-great-grandchildren will romanticize the Somali pirates in movies like Pirates of the Carribean?

The word piracy is stupid. It's just crime on the water. You can't avoid random acts of crime on land. You can't avoid random acts of crime on the water.

You can avoid the more dangerous neighborhoods.

Originally Posted by rustypirate

It is one thing to scam someone out of their money, and quite another to shove a gun in their face and threaten to kill them if a ransom is not paid, regardless of the availablity of funds.

These pirates are scum who prey on those weaker than them just because of some imagined potential for profit.

[Cloud IX]

Ninety-eight percent of the world's population are prey. Of the remainder, 1.5% are wolves who will eat the prey. The .5% who are left are wolf killers, i.e. the people who go toward the sound of the guns. You have to make up your mind early in life which you will be.

Donnie

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Cloud IX

You have to make up your mind early in life which you will be.

Donnie

Normal, criminal or an idiot?

[Southern Star]

Thanks MarkJ - that actually made me laugh out loud!

Brad

[sandinmytea]

I've read a lot of material since my deployment to Afghanistan that came my way through a few of my Marines. This one author promotes (mostly to military infantry/ law enforcement types) the notion that the world is populated by sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. This quaint little idea promotes that for the most part, people are sheep, but there are these bad guys out there who prey on the sheep (wolves). Then you get the courageous sheepdogs, who keep their guns on them even when they are off duty for the sheep's sake.

Its an interesting mentality. I was a corpsman (medic), and I kept supplies on hand for the instance where someone got hurt. Everyone else (the whole squad) carried guns. I too was forced to carry two goddamn guns. Even in Afghanistan, I generally felt safer without my weapons, arguing that I could carry more medical supplies. We were armed to the teeth. We had .50 cals, MK19 automatic grenade launchers, 240Bravo 7.62 medium machine guns, TOW missles, JAVELIN missles, C4, body armor, M16s, M4s, 9mms, knives and HARSH LANGUAGE.

If we weren't so armed, surely we would have been less safe, but we were in someone else's country, fighting an armed terrorist drug-and-gun running, human-rights violatin' reactionary ultra-religious mafia. Even then I preferred my machine gunners to do their jobs, to me 'packing'. I didn't need to do their jobs for them. They wanted to kill someone, and I didn't.

For the same reason, I really don't care if pirates try and come get me. Come and get me, you can't get blood from a stone anyways. I'd love to see one of my friends fielding the "Ummboonto bontoo bontoo... we want a million dollars!" phone call. I'd love to hear the laughter on the other line.

You are more likely to injure someone you love with a gun, accidentally, then you ever are in killing an intruder. For those that want to arm themselves, by all means. I believe you should be allowed to. Truthfully? I've already seen PLENTY of people shot. Some deserved it, and some didn't. These pirates are just stupid people with guns, and my dreams of cruising someday aren't going to be affected by a bunch of dumb people with guns. My dad left me a nice gun safe full of guns when he died, including 2 AK-47s, a Tech-9, M119A, Mini-14, Taurus 9mm, 2 Mossberg shotguns and the list goes on. They are all still sitting in his apartment in Vegas. I don't need them. I believe in defending ourselves, but spending your life in fear of being preyed upon is ridiculous. The only people in our world who are prey are those who prey victim to their own fear.

The only gun on my boat is the flare gun, though I should start shooting at powerboats.

[Scottie2]

Pirates holding Paul and Rachel Chandler today threatened to kill them and "burn their bones" if any rescue attempt was made.

Pirates' threat to kill Britons if Navy rescue is launched | News

[Solitude]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

The word piracy is stupid. It's just crime on the water. You can't avoid random acts of crime on land. You can't avoid random acts of crime on the water.

You can avoid the more dangerous neighborhoods.

Very true!

[Fishman_Tx]

I don't need them. I believe in defending ourselves, but spending your life in fear of being preyed upon is ridiculous. The only people in our world who are prey are those who prey victim to their own fear.

Since the criminals don't give fair warning before attacking, how do you defend yourself? I am 20 years ex-military retired and can respect your position, but life out there ain't fair or safe. True, one should avoid areas of known trouble. To venture into one unprepared, well, you get what you deserve. Sorry, no offense to Mr. & Mrs. "Briton" but that's how I feel.
Bluayes: Ditto! The best thing is not to go, but if you HAVE to, go armed.

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif
The word piracy is stupid. It's just crime on the water. You can't avoid random acts of crime on land. You can't avoid random acts of crime on the water.
You can avoid the more dangerous neighborhoods.

My solution is an M4 with a .50 cal "Beowolf" adapted upper receiver and scope. Does nasty things to skiffs and RPG toting pirates.

Hope the Briton couple get home safe.

[muskoka]

Originally Posted by sandinmytea

I don't need them. I believe in defending ourselves, but spending your life in fear of being preyed upon is ridiculous. The only people in our world who are prey are those who prey victim to their own fear.

The only gun on my boat is the flare gun, though I should start shooting at powerboats.

Thanks for your insight - and your courage!! I think you've done something exemplary in serving your country. And it's good to hear a frontline point of view.

I'm of your opinion that the world is largely to be explored rather than feared. Be careful for sure - but don't be too paranoid as you may miss the whole reason you got on a boat to experience different cultures!

My view, on the basis of extensive travel, is that the biggest danger (and I kid you not) isn't piracy but rather the 3rd world taxi trip. Most bad things that happen to cruisers aren't prosaic but rather mundane - ie some poor chap rents a motorbike and crashes, etc.

Cruise like your life depends upon it!
And enjoy!

Cheers Muskoka

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

I don't mean to pick on you but isn't there some irony to your screen name and the fact you don't condone piracy?

Is it possible in a few hundred years our great-great-grandchildren will romanticize the Somali pirates in movies like Pirates of the Carribean?

The word piracy is stupid. It's just crime on the water. You can't avoid random acts of crime on land. You can't avoid random acts of crime on the water.

You can avoid the more dangerous neighborhoods.

Well said.

Walking home, I have two options: a) the "long" but safe way, or b) the dangerous short cut. Why would anyone choose to arm themselves and take the short cut?

As Don said, despite the recent news stories, attacks on yachts are extremely rare and nearly unheard of outside of a few "danger zones". You're still much more likely to get struck by lightening out there, but there's a lot less discussion and effort on trying to protect oneself from a lightening strike.